Exploder for projectile



(No Model.) J. CLARK.

BXPLODER POR PROJEGTILE S No. 502',348.- Patented Aug. l, 1893.

Ens-'r avenants COPY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH CLARK, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

EXPL/ODER FOR PROJECTlLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No`. 502,348, dated August 1, 1893. Application led June 21,1892. Serial No. 437,463. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH CLARK, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco,in the county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Exploders for Projectiles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention has relation to explosive projectiles and the object of the invention is to insure the explosion of the projectile at the instant that it strikes an object. In the prac- -tical use of projectiles of this character, it is a matter of fact that a very large proportion of shells projected from ordnance or otherwise, fail to explode and in that class of shells where the cap or primer is at the point, failures often occur because the shell does not strike the object with its point. In that class of shells which are provided with time fuses, an accurate determination of the proper length of fuse for certain distances through which the shell is to be projected and imperfections existing in the fuse contribute to failure in many instances. The employment of a movable plunger or hammer has been essayed for the purpose of utilizing its rebound when the shell strikes on its point for the purpose of striking a cap having communication with the explosive material within the pro-- jectile, but in these instances no provision has been made for insuring an explosion in case the shell should fail to strike the object with its point and this failure to so strike an object is exceedingly common so that notwithstanding all that has heretofore been essayed in this character of devices the object sought, that is absolute certainty of explosion regardless of the portion of a shell which comes into contact with an object, is still unattained. Devices heretofore used are also liable to be accidentally brought into action.

By my invention I secure substantially absolute certainty of explosion and absolute safety against accidental explosion.

Referring to the drawings z-Figure l represents a longitudinal section of an explosive shell with my improved exploder applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical seetion of the exploder ready for action. Fig. 3

is a substantially central transverse section of the exploder. A

Like letters refer to like parts in all the figures.

A represents a shell which may be of any desired construction and B represents an explosive compound within the shell which compound may also be of any nature, character or name as desired and placed within the shell in any desirable suitable manner. My invention has no relation to any shell or explosive compound employed therein.

C represents my exploder and it consists of a shell which may be of any desired contour and can be cylindrical as illustrated in this case. It has a bottom or rear head C which may be threaded into the shell or cast or otherwise formed integrally therewith. The bottom C has a counter-sink or recess or it may be a hole C2 therein which receives a projection Dformed on the hammer or plunger D. Any desired number of nipples C3 either plain or screwthreaded to retain a cap or primer by friction or by coactin'g screwthreads in the cap are arranged in any desired manner within the shell C with their cap holding ends pointed inwardly. A convenient form of connection for the nipples with the shell is by screwthreads C4. Each of the nipples has openings C5 to communicate with the explosive material B within the shell or projectile in which the exploder is embedded. I may employ other forms of nipples, in fact any form that may be preferred. I have illustrated in the head or closing plug C6 of the exploder a form of nipple which has the ash opening C5 and a recess C7 to receive that form of cap known as a primer. I have also provided a supplementary hammer E, held away from the primer by acoiled spring E', so that when the main hammer or plunger D comes into contact therewith the primer will be exploded by the projecting lug E2 on the hammer E. This lug E2 would be dispensed with in case an ordinary nipple were used instead of a primerV nipple and the face of the hammer E would be plain as shown at the lower one of the two hammers E in Fig. 2.

The plunger or hammer D is supported centrally but yieldingly within the shell C of the exploder. This yielding support may be se- IOO cured by the use of springs ot' any character and I have shown one form which consists of coiled springs F and these are in this instance, arranged radially and they may be seated for a desired depth in recesses D2 formed in the hammer. The number and stiffness of the springs may be as desired and the latter char acteristic :may be far beyond what is necessary for/the mere support of the plunger So as to insure against accidental movementot` the plunger toward any of the nipples projecting inwardly from the shell of the exploder. The plunger is made of any suitable material which will give it a desired weight suiiicieut to be forced against the nipple or against one or more off any of the nipples so as to explode the cap or caps thereon. A wide margin exists in the tension of the spring be cause of the much greater force exerted when the shell strikes an object after it has been projected from a cannon, rilie or other piece of ordnance. The tension of the spring is therefore permissible to such an extent that the accidental dropping of a shell provided with my exploder will not cause the plunger, to contact with any of the nipples in the ex ploder. A sprin g F may be employed between the front end of the plunger and the inner face ot' the closing plug C of the shell to insure against the forward movement of the plunger from accidental causes but the friction of the springs F upon the inner wall of the exploder-shell will ordinarily be sufticient to prevent such a movement of the plunger. It will be observed that as a shell is projected and while it is still within the gun, the rear end of the plunger D presses with great force (its weight multiplied by the momentum of the shell) against the bottom C of the exploder so that the liability of the plunger coming into contact with any of the nipples is exceedingly limited and the broader the base of the plunger theless of such liability exists; still the spring F may be employed if vdesired to increase the safety of accidental displacement or rebounding of the plunger. The rear end of the plunger is rounded as at D3 for the purpose of facilitating a radial movement of the front end of the plunger so that said end may come in contact with nipples in the forward part of the exploder.

As thus far described it will be seen that in myinvention there is embedded in the explosive material of a projectile an exploder comprising a shell having nipples projecting inwardly and having supported therein a plunger the manner of its support being such that it may move in any direction excepting in a right line rearwardly in the direction of movement of the projectile. With this construction it is impossible for a shell, t'. e., a projectile, to strike an object in any direction with any portion-of the projectile in contact therewith without causing the plunger to explode one or more of the caps upon its nipples.

My exploder may be arranged Within a shell and secured therein by any suitable means or in any suitable manner. It maybe simply embedded in the explosive material or the shell may be provided with one or more partitions, diaph ragms or spiders G, with or Without openings G and with or without sockets G2 for receiving and supporting the ends or periphery of the exploder shell. The projectile may be divided into sections A or have a removable bottom Azor maybe of any other well known construction that will facilitate the introduction of the exploder and the explosive compound.

For purposes of safe transportation and handling and to absolutely prevent an accidental movement of the plunger and therefore the accidental explosion of a projectile provided with my exploder, I have devised a securing bolt H which is threaded into and through the plug C6 and which is adapted to enter a recess D4 in the front end of the plun ger so that when by any suitable means the bolt H is passed through the plug or head C6 and into the recess D4, it firmly locks the plunger against the bottom of the explodcr and together with the projection D', maintains the plunger rigidly and centrally within the exploder so that it is utterly impossible for the plunger to contact With the nipples.

In order to insure the unlocking of the plunger before a projectile provided with my exploder is seated in a gun, I have provided on the bolt H, an angularly-disposed handle H which projects in one or more directions beyond the periphery of the projectile so that it is impossible to place such a projectile within a gun without removing the bolt H. The handle H also serves as a means of carrying the shell from place to place. In order to insure against the accidental abrasion and explosion of the material within the projectile, a tube I of paper or other material may be inserted Within the shell and extending from its point to the opening in the plug C into which the bolt H is screwthreaded. If desired a plug similar to the plug A3 through which the bolt H passes may be inserted at the point of the projector so as to close said opening after the bolt H is removed from the exploder and projectile or a simple hole at the point of the projectile for receiving the bolt I-I may be employed or if desired an ordinary nipple with a cap on the outer end and communicating with the interior explosive material may be after the bolt H is removed, mounted upon the point of the projectile so that if the shell strikes upon the point its explosion is further insured.

As before indicated I may use any form of nipple in the sides or front of the exploder shell, those shown in the front being used indiscriminately in the sides or front and vice versa. The hammer E has its body smaller than the head thereof passing through an aperture c, in the plug or head C,andaplug E is screwthreaded into the head CU and in this plug the nipple C is screwthreaded, the coiled spring E2 encircling the nipple and bearing against the head of the hammer.

- While the projection D of the plunger serves to center the plunger by entering the recess E2 when the bolt H is employed to lock the plunger against any movement, still it is apparent that a plain flat ended plunger Without a projection bearing against a plain unrecessed bottom C will be rmly locked by the bolt H; therefore While the projection D and recess C2 are preferred still the invention is not limited to these details.

Vhat I claim is- 1. An exploder comprising a plunger supported yieldingly to permit movement in radial directions.

2. An exploder comprising a plunger supported yieldingly to permit movement in a forward and in radial directions.

3. An exploder provided with a plunger supported rigidly at its rear and yieldingly at its sides, whereby it may move radially.

4. An exploder comprising a plunger and means for locking said plunger against movement, said means extending beyond an area in cross section greater than the caliber of the shell in which said exploder is employed.

5. An exploder consisting of a shell provided With a nipple arranged on a diametric line in its side and of a plunger yieldingly supported Within the shell and capable of radial movement.

6. An exploder consisting of a shell provided with a plurality of nipples arranged diametrically in its sides and a plunger yieldingly supported Within the shell whereby it is adapted to move radially in all directions.

7. An exploder consisting of a shell provided With nipples arranged diametrically in its sides and front end and with an interior plunger yieldingly supported in all directions except against rearward movement.

8. An exploder consisting of a shell having nipples arranged diametrically in its sides and front and having a plunger and means for rigidly supporting it against rearward movement and for yieldingly supporting it in all other directions.

9. An exploder, consisting of ashell having nipples and a recessed bottom and a plunger provided with a projection fitting said recess and with springs projecting diametrically from the plunger and supporting it Within the shell.

1.0. A projectile having rigid partitions provided with sockets, an exploder seated in said sockets and having a spring-supported plunger and a bolt screw-threaded into the exploder and provided with a Thead,abranch of which extends beyond the periphery of the projectile.

11. An exploder shell provided with a nipple and a spring-held hammer both of which are co-operatively seated in a Wall of the shell, in combination With an interior yieldinglysupported plunger, substantially as specified.

l2. An exploder having seated in a Wall thereof a nipple, an encircling spring and a hammer against which said spring takes bearing and an interior plunger operating to strike said hammer.

13. An exploder provided with a plunger surrounded upon all sides and at its front end by springs and rigidly supported at its rear, substantially as specified.

In testimony WhereofI aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOSEPH CLARK.

Vitnesses:

L. C. HILLS, HEATH SUTHERLAND. 

